clown questions?

[mr white]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could answer a few questions about clown loaches for me.
I was wondering if a pH of 6.8 would be okay for them. Mine was 7.0, but over the past few days it has fallen, I think due to the driftwood in my tank. I'm going to explore my options of restoring 7.0 at the LFS.
Also, is it possible that clowns wouldn't get along with each other? Because I have three, but two were under the driftwood today eating, and one seemed to keep biting the other one and shoving it out of the way. I've never noticed them do this when the three of them ate. Alas, I've only had them less than a week, but I watch them incessantly.
Any other info about clown loach behaviour would be appreciated as well. One of mine seems to be a bit sketchy at times. He (or she) seems to be grayed out alot (as in very often) and skittishly swimming up and down the sides of the tank in the same spot, while the other two are almost always a nice black and swimming around and enjoying life. And is it normal for them to just lie on the bottom? because mine keep giving me heart attacks when I see them just lying there, eyes open, not moving...

[Emma Turner]

A ph of 6.8 is absolutely fine for clown loaches, mine have been kept a lot lower than that in the past, and are at present thriving in a pH below 6.0. The important thing is to make sure that the pH is stable and doesn't vary hugely from day to day. In some areas, clown loaches are found in blackwaters where the conditions are very soft and acidic.

With regards to the greying out and biting, this would be somewhat alleviated by keeping a much larger group. In the wild they congregate in their thousands, where no one single fish would bear the brunt of the aggression from another individual. Even in larger groups, you will see the odd territorial argument or battle for the Alpha position, but in a bigger group, no one fish should get constantly picked on. A larger group will also give them much more confidence and allow them to behave more naturally. Providing that conditions in the tank are as they should be, and the fish are healthy, the resting on their sides is nothing to worry about.

Emma

[mr white]

Well, my water is fine, in terms of nitrites and ammonia. Everyone else is acting fine. And I was hoping to get another two clowns to make five when I get a bigger tanik in a few months. Is there a 'recommended' number of clowns to keep? And how about dojos, while we're at it? LOL! Are they best in threes?

[crazy loaches]

Most all loaches enjoy being groups of 5 or more, clowns and dojos included. Going from individual loaches and small groups to larger groups myself, I have seen entirely different personalities. One loach I have seems to be permenantly scared from being single for almost 2 years... I wont ever buy any again unless I can provide them with the proper conditions from day 1

Emma - thats good to know youve kept them in low pH. On other forums, there has been a big debate over pH, and many of us with heavily planted tanks let the pH drop very low, most into the 5's with no problems even with shrimp. Its been said most fish dont care about the pH drop due to CO2 alone, but when thigns start getting in the 5's I hope the loaches will be ok. Currently mine is in the low/mid 6's but on the tank I am setting up if I decide to go with aqua soil or use peat under something else it will more than likely be in the 5's.

[mr white]

well in my tropical tank I have three clowns, so that's fine for now... hoping to add another two in a few months with a tank upgrade. hopefully around the end of July. And as for dojos, I only have two. So perhaps I should get three more as well. I'll have to see how everyone will fit into the 77 gallon I'm getting, I suppose.